Saturday, February 5, 2011

Uprising in Egypt

Jesus said, "Therefore, be on the alert; for you do not know which day your Lord is coming.. . .For this reason you be ready too for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will."  Matthew 24:42,44

    Like a lot of you, I have been watching events unfold in Egypt.  Having never really heard much about Egypt in the news in the past, I was interested in learning why the protesters were protesting and wondering what the results would be of this conflict.  Also, I wondered with all the turmoil if these events would in any way lead to events that would prepare for Jesus's return. 

   You may think that it is silly that I would think that these events might lead to Jesus' return.  But, scripture seems clear that we are to have an attitude of expectancy.  While there has been much upheaval in the middle east, it is clear that this region is the area where Jesus will one day return again.  What the sequence of those events are a little unclear to me, but we are to live as people who are ready for his return.  Do we really do that though?

   The other thing that is mentioned in news reports about Egypt is that of oil prices.  It mentions the possibility of the Suez Canal being closed or oil flow disrupted and that causing oil prices to spike.  I think it shows just how vulnerable our world economy is and how much we take it for granted.  This is important because it reflects what it says in Revelations 6:5-6 when it says that an angel came forth carrying scales and prices of food were disrupted.  Yet, it says, "A quart of wheat for a denarius and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and the wine."  The oil and the wine are figurative words symbolic of the wealthy.  It means most will be poor, but there will be a upper class as well.

  The other thing that I wonder about is how will these events effect the middle east as a whole.  There is some unrest already in places like Yemen and Jordan.  Is this the beginning of something even bigger?

Psalm 32:5-7 God is Ready and Eager to Forgive

  Psalm 32:3-7 3 When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. 4 For day and night thy hand was heavy upon me...